apps_pidgin.xml

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<chapter xmlns:its="http://www.w3.org/2005/11/its" xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook" xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" version="5.0" xml:id="cha-gnome-pidgin">
 <title><productname>Pidgin</productname>: instant messaging</title>
 <info>
    <meta name="description" its:translate="yes">Master Pidgin’s instant messaging interface to communicate efficiently in real time across multiple networks and protocols</meta>
  <abstract>
   <para>
    Learn how to use the <productname>Pidgin</productname> instant messaging
    application to chat live with your contacts.
   </para>
  </abstract>
  <dm:docmanager xmlns:dm="urn:x-suse:ns:docmanager">
   <dm:bugtracker/>
   <dm:translation>yes</dm:translation>
  </dm:docmanager>
 <revhistory xml:id="rh-cha-gnome-pidgin">
   <revision>
     <date>2026-04-14</date>
     <revdescription>
       <para/>
     </revdescription>
   </revision>
 </revhistory>
</info>
 <para>
 <productname>Pidgin</productname> is an instant messaging (IM) client that
  allows you to connect to multiple accounts simultaneously. Chat live with
  your contacts, regardless of which IM system they use.
 </para>
 <para>
  It supports the following instant messaging protocols: AIM, Bonjour,
  Gadu-Gadu, Google Talk, Groupwise, ICQ, IRC, SIMPLE, XMPP, and
  Zephyr. Microsoft Office Communicator is also supported if you install the
  additional package <package>pidgin-plugin-sipe</package>.
 </para>
 <para>
  In the following, learn how to set up <productname>Pidgin</productname> and
  how to communicate with your contacts.
 </para>
 <sect1 xml:id="sec-gnome-pidgin-start">
  <title>Starting <productname>Pidgin</productname></title>

  <para>
   To start <productname>Pidgin</productname>, open the
   <guimenu>Activities</guimenu> overview by pressing <keycap function="meta"/> and search for <literal>pid</literal>.
  </para>
 </sect1>
 <sect1 xml:id="sec-gnome-pidgin-configure">
  <title>Configuring accounts</title>

  <para>
   To use <productname>Pidgin</productname>, you must already have an account
   for the messaging service you want to use. For example, to use
   <productname>Pidgin</productname> to chat via AIM, you need to have an AIM
   account.
  </para>

  <procedure>
   <title>Adding and editing accounts in <productname>Pidgin</productname>
   </title>
   <step>
    <para>
     If you start <productname>Pidgin</productname> for the first time, a
     message appears, prompting you to configure an account. Proceed with
     <guimenu>Add</guimenu> to add your account.
    </para>
    <para>
     If you have already configured an account and
     want to add a new one or modify existing ones, open this dialog via
     <menuchoice> <guimenu>Accounts</guimenu> <guimenu>Manage
     Accounts</guimenu> </menuchoice>. Either <guimenu>Add</guimenu> a new
     account, or <guimenu>Modify</guimenu> or <guimenu>Delete</guimenu>
     existing ones.
    </para>
   </step>
   <step>
    <para>
     The <guimenu>Add/Modify Account</guimenu> dialog opens. Use the
     <guimenu>Basic</guimenu> tab to select a protocol and enter or modify your
     login credentials.
    </para>
    <para>
     The availability of other tabs and the data you are required to enter
     depends on the protocol you have chosen. In most cases, server details
     such as address and port number need to be entered on the
     <guimenu>Advanced</guimenu> tab.
    </para>
    <para>
     On the <guimenu>Proxy</guimenu> tab you can enter a custom proxy
     configuration for the chosen protocol. By default the system settings
     (<guimenu>Use Global Proxy Settings</guimenu>) are preselected. This
     default should be sufficient for most users.
    </para>
   </step>
   <step>
    <para>
     Continue with <guimenu>Add</guimenu> or <guimenu>Save</guimenu>. Make sure
     all accounts you want to use are set to <guimenu>Enabled</guimenu> in the
     resulting <guimenu>Accounts</guimenu> window. If you want to temporarily
     disable an account, deselect it in the <guimenu>Enabled</guimenu> column.
    </para>
   </step>
  </procedure>

 </sect1>
 <sect1 xml:id="sec-gnome-pidgin-buddy-list">
  <title>Managing contacts</title>

  <para>
   Use the <guimenu>Contact List</guimenu> to manage your contacts (so-called
   <quote>Buddies</quote>). You can add and remove contacts and organize them
   in groups, so they are easy to find.
  </para>

  <procedure>
   <title>Adding contacts</title>
   <step>
    <para>
     To add a contact, click <menuchoice> <guimenu>Buddies</guimenu>
     <guimenu>Add Buddy</guimenu> </menuchoice>.
    </para>
   </step>
   <step>
    <para>
     Select the <guimenu>Account</guimenu> for which you want to add a contact.
    </para>
   </step>
   <step>
    <para>
     Enter the contact's user name under <guimenu>Buddy'
     username</guimenu>. Ask your contact for this name prior to adding the
     contact&mdash;this data is required and usually depends on the protocol.
    </para>
   </step>
   <step>
    <para>
     By default, the contact is shown under the name they have provided with their
     account. Use <guimenu>(Optional): Alias</guimenu> to display the contact
     with a custom name. With some protocols you can also send the contact an
     invite message with <guimenu>(Optional): Invite Message</guimenu>.
    </para>
   </step>
   <step>
    <para>
     If you have sorted your contacts by group, choose an existing group from
     the drop-down text box or enter a new group name.
    </para>
   </step>
   <step>
    <para>
     Proceed with <guimenu>Add</guimenu>.
    </para>
   </step>
  </procedure>

  <para>
   In case the groups or the newly added contacts are not displayed in the
   contact list, check the display preferences by clicking
   <menuchoice> <guimenu>Buddies</guimenu> <guimenu>Show</guimenu>
   </menuchoice>. Activate <guimenu>Offline Buddies</guimenu> and
   <guimenu>Empty Groups</guimenu> to make all contacts and groups appear in the
   <guimenu>Contact List</guimenu>.
  </para>

  <para>
   To remove a contact from the list, right-click the name of that contact,
   select <guimenu>Remove</guimenu> and confirm your choice.
  </para>
 </sect1>
 <sect1 xml:id="sec-gnome-pidgin-chat">
  <title>Chatting with friends</title>

  <para>
   To chat with other participants, you need to be connected to the Internet.
   After a successful login, you are usually marked as
   <guimenu>Available</guimenu> in the <guimenu>Contact List</guimenu>, and
   are visible to others. To change your status, click the drop-down box at
   the bottom of the <guimenu>Contact List</guimenu> and select another option.
  </para>

  <para>
   To open a chat session, double-click a contact name in the <guimenu>Contact
   List</guimenu>. The chat screen opens. Type your message, then press
   <keycap function="enter"/> to send.
  </para>

  <para>
   If you open more than one chat session, the new session appears as a tab in
   the existing chat window. To see all messages of a session and to be able to
   write a reply, click the tab of that session. To see multiple session side
   by side, use the mouse to drag a tab out of the window. A second window will
   open.
  </para>

  <para>
   To close a chat session, close the tab or window for it.
  </para>

  <tip>
   <title>Finding a contact</title>
   <para>
    In case you contact list is very long, contacts may be hard to find. Use
    <keycombo> <keycap function="control"/> <keycap>F</keycap> </keycombo> to
    open a search box at the bottom of the contact list. Type one or more
    letters to find a contact. Use <keycap function="down"/> to move to the
    next result, or <keycap function="up"/> to move to the previous result.
   </para>
  </tip>

 </sect1>
 <sect1 xml:id="sec-gnome-pidgin-more">
  <title>More information</title>

  <para>
   This chapter only explains the basic configuration and usage option of
   <productname>Pidgin</productname>. For more information, click
   <menuchoice> <guimenu>Help</guimenu>
   <guimenu>Online Help</guimenu> </menuchoice> to open the help in a browser.
  </para>
  <para>
   For updates about new features and for the latest information, refer to the
   home page of the project at
   <link xlink:href="https://pidgin.im/"/>.
  </para>
 </sect1>
</chapter>